Apparatus for electric-current distribution



Jan.A 7, 1930. G. R. BROWN ATPARATUS Fon ELECTRIC CURRENT DISTRIBUTIONFiled Aug. 31. 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet l lll/711111111111. J

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Jan. 7, 1930. G. R. BROWN l APPARATUS FOR ELECTRIC CURRENT DISTRIBUTIONFiled Aug. 31, 192e 3 sheets-sheet 2 INVENTO;

Jan. 7, 1930. G. R. BRowN 1,742,896

APPARATUS FOR ELECTRIC CURRENT DISTRIBUTION Filed Aug. 31. '1926 5sheets-sheet 5 :l li 56 JH: qw.: 5s -1 f I' l' I, I 5 2figli/11171111111 fge ,fudsvn Brow/1 INVENTORJ Sy L Patented Jan. 7,1930 UNITE-D srArEse GEORGE RUDSTON BROWN, OF CROYDON,l NEAR SYDNEY, NEWSOUTH WALES,

AUSTRALIA APPARATUs Fon ELECTRICLCURRENT Dis'raiBUfrioN Application ledAugust 31,1926, Serial No. 132,713, and in. Australia October V2, 1925.

rlhis invention .relates to vapparatus Ausable in .connection withIelectric'current distribution. The object of the invention is toVprovide means which whilst, being adaptable for electric lcurrentdistribution in certain spe-y cific cases is also.usablewithcertainelements as a switch' box, Yjunctionfbox, fuse box,cou-n or test, inspection or other box or l pling box, otherwise, theboxitselfand appurtenant parts beingl interchangeable so; that-.ftheap,- paratus .will be serviceable Vtor providing electric current tocircuits asfrequired.

The f yapparatus have associated therewith variable elementswherebyVelectric current distribution may be eected.

Referring to the accompanying drawings',l

in .which the-invention is illustrated, Fig'. 1

associated withV a .base plate; Fig. 2 a perspective viewpartly insectionshowing the integral element with coverandbase andcer-A tainLelectric .current 4distribution components associated with the element;Figs. 3 ands:

respectively cross-sectionsonplanes 3-#3 and` is of metal; itshead has atapped opening 2 andl itsfoot is formed with a flange 3 to seat againsttheflange t onv the head of the metal base 5. Preferably' the interiorface of the coveris furnished with suitable electrical in- `sulat-ingmaterial .6. An yintegral element 7 is adapted tobe carriedcentrallyfwithin the cover 1 and base 5. Such element7 is prefer-A ablyconstructedl of metal yand isU-shaped havinglateral foot flanges 8and/9. `r-it its head. itlisipreferably formed with a boss 10 Mcomprises a base, a coverV plate,.arndan integral element adapted tois aperspective view ofthe integral element Y from which Vprojects thevertical. tubular member 11 having an externa-l screw-,tlyiread-` 12.Such member 11 projects through the tapped opening 2 of the cover 1which opens' ing is of larger diameter than the member 11. lThe outertace of the member 7 isfurf" vnished with electrical insulatingfmaterial* 13,"and the bottom of the base 5 is 'suitablyVormedvtoreceive the holed plate 14e towhich' the element 7 may beattached 'by meansof 'l the angled brackets 15 and rivets -16 as well asscrews 17 or otherwise.. It required .the

base 5 may be connected toa base plate 18 f by the screws 19 or othersuitable means; thel said base plate 18 will be hereinafter de-V 65 Yscribed. Components 69 of suitable'type'forx electric currentdistribution'work may be ata.

tached by thescrews 73 or otherwise to` thej element 7. f

ln Figs. 5 to 8, the integral element 7 isf7`0 shown with openings 89 inits opposite side walls, such openingsbeing intended to serve v asbearings Jigor parts of any rotatable switch .gear which may be utilizedwith the apparatus When such switch gear is used it is also 75 preferredto provide in association with the element 7 the shield 2O one end ofwhich is suitably attached to the head of the; element' 7 and the otherendvthereo to the holed plate.`

14. Such plate'lli is shown in Figs. -7 and 8 80 `with an opening 21.The shield 2O mayservev the purpose of protecting the electric'lead.wires Jfrom contact with the switch mechasl nism. It required 4one endot the element 7 f may be extende'dras at 22 to receive parts, say 23,of switch mechanism to'be used; One

Ytypev vot switch operative means 96 is shown` in Fig. 7, part of suchmeans being fitted l in the openings 89 in the element 7 and turn'- abletherein.

A union connection for tlieapparatusris shown in Figs. 3 and .4 and 7and 8..v Inthe said figuresV the threadedtubular. connection .24 isshown, the said connection being screw-l threadedrexternally to tthetapped open= ing 2 of the cover 1 and also screw-threaded. internallytot 'the tubular member 11 onthe element v7 Upon attaching theconnection 241s'k to the tubular element 11 andscrewing same homethereon and also screwing. the cover l 101') onto the lsaid connectionthe cover 1 is made attachable to the baseyr and the element 7, the rimanges 3 and 4 onthe cover `1 and base 5 beingthus made to abut oneanother. The connection 24 may be used when the apparatus is intendedfor utilization either as for a pendent or for wall bracket attachment.

-Y Further modificationsk of the apparatus are illustrated in Figs. v9to 11. When openings arerequired in the base 5 to enable the apparatusto be adapted fondi-Herent uses these may1 be provided.. In Figs. 9 and10 the base 5 s s own with an openingY to receive the pro- 1'5 jectingcoupling 32 whose rearend is preferably furnished with a fiange 33 toseat against the base 5. VA cap 34 with serrated edge 35 abutting vthebase 5 Vfits about the coupling 32 and may be secured thereto by thescrewsV 36. i VSuch coupling may be internally screwthreaded to recelveanV externally screwthreaded conduit 37, but if the coupling is notinternally screw-threaded avconduit may be tached by bolts 55 and nuts56 to the base 57 and such casing may carry an electrical insulatingblock 57 having electric conductive tubes 58 for a plug connector 59having projecting plug connector pins 60. The switch block 93 in Fig. 11has associated therewith 'the conductive contact plates 96 with whichthe movable conductive plate 97 may be made to Contact or not, dependingas to whether the switch operative meansare set to Von or off posltion.

If the apparatus is desired for junction use "the Velement 7 may haveattached thereto (Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 10) either one or both the Yelectric insulating blocksV 69 preferably having the rib 70; theseblocks may have suitable terminal means 71 and 72 thereon and they` maybe secured to the element7 by screws 73. A lsimilar arrangement Yofin-vv sulating blocks 93 are shown inFigs. 8 and` 11 in connection withthe element 7. when designed for use with( switch means; onl

one such block (Fig. 11') is usedif the switch7 is to be of the singlepole type, but if of the double poleA type (Fig. 8) two such blocks areused. When blocks are -used for switch means of single pole type one ofsuch blocks 93 maybe used as a switch block andthe other block mayconsist of a junction block 94. The rib 70 of the blocks 69 and 94serves to prevent contact between the lead wires to the terminals ofsuch blocks. Only one fuse block 95 may be used if desired. In Fig. 9the ele# will be earthed and ment 7 is shown associated with a switchblock 93 and also with a fuse block 95 of suitable type.

Referring to Fig. 3, the element 7 and base 5 are shown associated withthe metal base plate-18, screws 19 being utilized to attach lthe plate18 to the bottom ofthe basei. i The base plate 18 has a neck 63 whoseinner end may abut the bottom of the base Y5l lwhen thehase plate 18 isset on the base 5. The "base late 18 with parts of theapparatus-attached t ereto'may beconnected in any preferred manner toany suitable support.

struction of the various combinationsy of in# v'It will be understoodthat theprovision ofV the base plate 18 and the connection and confAYS07 tegers above described 'and illustrated in theV 'i drawings with thebase 5,'the latter'being f associated with the" cover 1, oterswmeansVwhereby if any short-circuitingzof current? :should occur in using theapparatus the latter current may then ow l .n I V to earth.

What'I claim as my inventionand desire to 'i secure by Letters Patentis 1. An electric current distributor Yof 'thel character described,com'pri'sixng abas'e 'mem-V ber, a cover therefor having a threaded'oening, a yU-shaped metal elementmounte on the base and'having anexternally threaded neck, and a union Vscrewed over the neck and intosaid opening in the cover to connectV theV latter to the base. a

2. An electric lcurrent distributor of the character described,comprising a kbase mem'- ber, a cover therefor having a threaded openying, arplate arranged at the bottom of the base, a U-shaped metalelement secured to the plate and having an externally threaded neck, anda union screwed over the neck and into the opening latter to the base. iY i 3. An electric current `'distributor of the character described,comprising a base mem@ ber having a formed bottom'surface, a covertherefor having a threaded opening, a plate in the cover to connect thearranged at the bottom of' thebase, a U-y shaped metal element secured.to the plate and having an externally threaded neck, a unionv screwedover the neck and into thel opening in the cover to connect the latterto the base, and a base plate for the formed bottom surface of the ybaseto provide a groundconnection for the'distributor;

4. An electric current distributor Yof the character described,comprising a baseimember, a cover therefor having a threaded ropeni ing,a U-shaped metal element mounted on the base and .having an externallythreaded neck, a union screwed over the neck and into the said openinginthe cover over whichA the cover is screwed to connect the latter tothebase, the opposite parallel sides of said element being formedasbearings for a rotaryy switch means associated with the element,

and a shield member embracing the element to protect the parts.

5. An electric current distributor as claimed in claim l, in Which thesaid base member is provided With a plurality of openin s a metal coulino havinO' a flange seat- 7 C C b ing Within the base and about saidopenings, a metal cap fitting about said coupling and having one of itsends serrated and abutting said base, and means for securing saidcoupling and cap to each other.

6. An electricJ current distributor, as claimed in Claim l, in Which theends of the parallel portions are provided With lateral flanges,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aiiX my signature.

GEORGE RUDSTON BROWN.

